When you factor in the amount you spend on your children’s parties in addition to the misfit of toys already in your home, it can be beyond frustrating. There is something to be said for thinking outside the (Jack-in-the) box when buying gifts for kids.

Of course, kids love anything they can touch and feel and play with, but never underestimate the power of spending time with them. That’s why an experiential gift can be just as good, if not better, than a toy or item of clothing.

This could be a day at a local amusement park, a trip to the cinema, bowling, going swimming, or visiting a favourite restaurant. Keep the costs down and make the fun more affordable by choosing to set up obstacle courses and scavenger hunts in the back garden, making a home cinema for a movie marathon, making ice cream sundaes, visiting a favourite playground, baking, or cooking their favourite meal together.

If you have the funds, the inclination, and the time, consider going on a family night away or weekend break to celebrate in lieu of the party. When you consider how expensive parties can be these days, it’s not out of the realm of possibility to break even!

Make the most of whatever you choose to do by putting down your phone and upping the conversation. Trust me – this will be a birthday gift your child will remember for years to come.

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These days, kids’ drones are all the rage, and for good reason – they’re super cool! Your peewee pilot will feel like he or she is on top of the world when flying one of these around the neighbourhood. While the level of quality does tend to go up the more you spend, that’s not to say there aren’t drones out there that are inexpensive and still well built.

Still, it’s best to remember that this is a time-consuming gift, in that you and your child both need to put the time and effort in to learn how your drone works. If you don’t, you could very well experience the heartache that goes with a drone breaking within the first hours of flying it. Once you both get the hang of it, though, this is surely a gift a kids that will put you at the top of the parenting “cool list”.

Now anyone who gets hives just hearing the acronym “DIY” shouldn’t shudder at this one, as it could be something as simple as getting your mini-me a fort kit, a puzzle, or this Make-Your-Own-Family kit. The bottom line is this is something you could both work on together, once again maximising your family time.

But DIYers can go nuts, too. If growing a garden or creating a volcano is your jam, then more power to you! Just make sure you choose something that you know your child likes, as this will let him or her know that you don’t just listen, you hear.

Sports equipment for your budding soccer star, a new piece of gymnastics equipment for your growing gymnast, a mandolin for your mini musician, or an astrology set for your star-in-the-making are all great ideas.

While everyone knows that it’s best not to overwhelm kids with endless activities (boredom can be a good thing!), a gift that cultivates an innate talent will not only get used but it will also benefit your child’s self-esteem.

Whether you’ve got a reluctant reader on your hands or your child loves school, a stereotypically educational gift for a child is typically going to be met with the dreaded eye-roll. However, it’s easier than you think to sneak in educational components when buying gifts.

Arts and crafts are great for hand-to-eye coordination, making slime is really a fun science experiment, Minecraft and LEGO are wonderful for the aspiring engineers or architects, and Magnatiles are ideal for concentration. Your child will have no idea they’re learning while playing!